Liquid detergent composition containing deflocculating polymer with ionic monomers

Abstract

A liquid detergent composition comprising a dispersion of lamellar droplets in an aqueous continuous phase and a polymer consisting of nonionic monomers and ionic monomers wherein the ionic groups constitute from 0.1 to 50% by weight of the polymer, and wherein the equivalent composition, minus the polymer has a significantly higher viscosity and/or becomes unstable.

We claim: 
     
       1. A liquid detergent composition comprising a dispersion of lamellar droplets comprising bi-layers of surfactant material in an aqueous continuous phase, from 5-40% by weight of electrolyte and from 0.01 to 5.0% by weight of the composition of a deflocculating polymer, characterized in that the polymer consists of nonionic monomers and ionic monomers wherein the ionic monomers constitute from 0.1 to 50% by weight of the polymer, and are selected from the group consisting of polymers having the formula: ##STR4## wherein: z is 1, x:z is from 4:1 to 2,000:1, and n is at least 1; R 3  and R 4  represent hydrogen or C 1-4  alkyl;   R 2  represents--CO--O--, --O--, --O--CO--, --CH 2  --, --CO--NH--, or is absent;   R 1  represents --C 3  H 6  --N +  --(CH 3 ) 3  (Cl - ), --C 2  H 4  --OSO 3  --(Na + ), --SO 3  --(Na + ), --C 2  H 4  N +  (CH 3 ) 3  Cl - , --C 2  H 4  N +  (C 2  H 6 ) 3  Cl - , --CH 2  N +  (CH 3 ) 3  Cl - , --CH 2  N +  (C 2  H 6 ) 3  Cl -   or benzyl-SO 3   -  (Na + );   R a  is CH 2 , C 2  H 4 , C 3  H 6  or is absent;   R b  represents from 1 to 50 independently selected alkylene oxide groups, or is absent;   R c  represents --OH or --H;   and wherein if R 2 , R a  and R b  are absent, then R c  is not --H;   said polymer having a weight average molecular weight of from 500 to 5000,000.   
     
     
       2. A liquid detergent composition according to claim 1 containing from 2-60% by weight of detergent active materials.